“He who lives by the sword, dies by the sword.”
People quote that quote all the time. It means more for people who kill for the sake of killing and has nothing to do with protecting those around us. Jesus told his apostles if they didn’t have a sword to sell their cloak and buy them. In those days there were highway robbers too and they killed to steal from others. They were to buy those swords to defend themselves as they journeyed. That’s what I believe that quote to mean.
People who never read the Bible often quote the Bible. It’s Alinsky-esque.
...but that’s NOT what senile ole Ron meant by it.....
Yet Peter was trying to defend those around him when he drew his sword and struck. And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus and took him. And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear. Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?
It is not as if the Apostles, who did not live by the sword, but by every word which proceeds from the mouth of God, for most of them perished by violence according to the scriptures and tradition, including Cephas/Peter.